The New Year
by Charlotte88
Summary: It's New Year's Eve! The countdown to midnight has just begun...


The New Year

_TEN..._

Oh God, this was it. The big countdown. All around Nikki were crowds of people, all cheering and shouting. Who's idea was it to have a New Year work party? Nikki blamed Harry. Yep, it was definitely time to blame Harry.

_NINE..._

The food hadn't even been that nice. Just a load of Tesco frozen party food that was only semi-cooked. The music had been okay though. She was a bit red and hot from dancing, but again, she decided to blame Harry for that.

_EIGHT..._

The alcohol though, the alcohol was good. Maybe the champagne wasn't quite as expensive as Nikki liked, but that hadn't stopped her downing several glasses. She'd needed it. The dress she was wearing (black, strapless, with a big poofy skirt) was rather tighter-fitting than she'd intended. She didn't even know why she went to so much effort. It wasn't like anyone had noticed.

_SEVEN..._

In fact, Nikki hadn't received one compliment all night. Except from Leo, but that didn't count. She looked around, but Harry was on the other side of the room, talking to a young lab tech. Why did she get a pang of resentment at seeing that? Was she jealous because Harry was paying the lab tech compliments and not her? That was stupid.

_SIX..._

Who was the last person she kissed? Surely it wasn't Ryan, that "obnoxious paramedic" as Harry called him. That was months ago. Sure, she'd had a few one-night stands since then, but they didn't count. They didn't mean anything. Flings were just Nikki's way of letting-off steam.

_FIVE..._

Half way there now. At least that meant Nikki could go home soon. Alone. As usual. It had been a long day, and right now she wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed, and go to sleep before the hangover set in in the morning. All she had to get through now was four more seconds, then five minutes of cheering with everyone else about the start of yet another new year, as if that would be any different from the last.

_FOUR..._

Oh God, she wasn't going to have to kiss anyone was she? Wasn't it the tradition to kiss the person next to you when the clock struck midnight? Nikki looked to her left, where a middle-aged, dandruff sprinkled, troll of a man was stood, looking at her with a slight jeer. Nikki gulped and looked to her right, where a small, round, tufty-haired man (who Nikki recognised from the toxicology department) was stood very close to her, obviously unable to believe his luck that he had strategically landed next to her. She pulled a face.

_THREE...._

Maybe this was God's way of telling her to settle down. Maybe Him plonking two of the worst-looking men in the universe next to her was His idea of having a laugh at her for not marrying or having kids yet. It wasn't her fault though, she'd just never found that person. Someone who understands that she works unpredictable, long hours, cutting up dead people.

_TWO..._

Nikki heard a slight commotion beside her, and turned to see Harry at her elbow. "I thought you needed rescuing," he said, looking pointedly at Nikki's former neighbours. She mouthed 'thank you' to him. Hmm... someone who understands the work she does.

_ONE..._

Well here goes, in less than a second she was going to have to kiss Harry. How? On the cheek? Quick peck on the lips? She didn't want him to get the wrong idea. She looked up at him. His dark hair, ruffled at the front; his blazer over his jumper, smart, but not OTT; his green eyes, boring into Nikki's...

_HAPPY NEW YEAR..._

All around them the room erupted, but Nikki couldn't tear her eyes away from Harry's gaze. It was so deep, so penetrating, that it took her breath away. The world seemed to go in slow motion as Nikki reached up and looped her arms around Harry's neck. Alcohol was fizzing through her veins, yet her arms still erupted in goosebumps as their heads drew even closer. "Did I tell you how amazing you look tonight?" Harry whispered. It was all Nikki needed to hear. She closed the gap between them, pressing her lips against Harry's. After a second he tried to pull away, but Nikki buried her fingers in his hair and pulled him closer. A shiver ran up her spine as Harry deepened the kiss. She was so going to regret this in the morning, when the can of worms opened, but right then, stood in that room, people around her celebrating, her tongue in Harry's mouth, she found she didn't care. Lack of oxygen was beginning to be an issue, so Nikki and Harry broke apart, breathing deeply. "Happy new year," Nikki whispered with a smile. "Isn't it just?" Harry grinned, slipping his hand into Nikki's and leading her away from the crowds to somewhere more secluded.

* * *

**Just a one shot. I know it's random, and a bit late (or early, depending on how you want to look at it), but the idea just came to me suddenly. **

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